POTD: The Sten Mk V – Refinement of a Wartime Icon
Sam.S 07.19.24
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! The Sten Mk V represents the pinnacle of the Sten submachine gun series, designed in 1943 as a more refined version of its predecessors. Unlike earlier models prioritizing rapid, economical production, the Mk5 focused on improved ergonomics and handling. While retaining the core mechanical design of earlier Stens, the Mk5’s fire control group was repositioned to accommodate the pistol grip. This variant entered combat as early as the Normandy invasion in June 1944 and was well-received by troops for its superior handling characteristics. Production totaled 527,428 units, and the Mk5 remained in service until the adoption of the L2 Sterling submachine gun in 1957, with some examples persisting into the late 1960s. The Sten Mk5 represents the evolution of a utilitarian wartime design into a more refined and user-friendly weapon.
Key features of the Sten Mk5 include
- A full wooden buttstock modeled after the No4 Enfield rifle
- Wooden pistol grip for improved control
- Front sight and bayonet lugs compatible with Enfield rifles
- Early production models featured a wooden vertical foregrip
Lot 1654: British Mark V STEN Gun – British Mark V STEN Gun, Class III/NFA C&R Fully Transferable Machine Gun with Bayonet and Scabbard. (n.d.-am). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved July 19, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/84/1654/british-mark-v-sten-gun.
